


Overcome

by hufflepuffhermione



Category: Mercy Street (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-20 00:27:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 2,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5986171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hufflepuffhermione/pseuds/hufflepuffhermione
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles. Mary and Jed find strength together to overcome the challenges they are struggling with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm posting all of my Mercy Street drabbles (found on my Tumblr under the same name) on here. This first one was written right after episode 3. Enjoy!

He woke up the next morning feeling heavy, as if there was a weight on his chest that wouldn’t go away.

  
It took him a few moments to recall the events of the previous day; the operation on Ezra, the fight with his mother, Mary finding him.

  
Mary…

  
He kissed her. What the hell was he thinking?

  
He wasn’t thinking. It was the morphine thinking for him.

  
And yet she didn’t leave him. Any other woman would have been disgusted and horrified. Not Mary. She pushed him away, but then pulled him back together. Eliza wouldn’t have done that. Eliza would have stayed away. Eliza did stay away.

  
Mary was incredible. Mary was strong. And she was trying to save him.

  
He stood up from his bed, put on the soldiers uniform, and made his way downstairs to find her.

  
He did, luckily. She was feeding a young soldier, the picture of mercy and grace as she gently stroked his hair, trying to keep him from shaking.

  
Jed leaned against the wall and watched her, not wanting to disturb her work. When she stood up from the soldiers bed, he stepped forward, calling, “Mary?” Immediately, he blushed, correcting himself to, “Nurse Mary?”

  
She turned her head and met his eyes. “Doctor Foster? Is there something you need?”

  
“Yes, actually. I’d like to talk to you.”

  
“Of course, but we have work to attend to…”

  
He put a hand on her wrist to still her from walking away. Maybe that was too forward. But the touch performed its job, and Mary stopped and looked at him.

  
“I know I don’t deserve you, but hear me out, that would be enough,” he said, impassioned.

  
She nodded. “Very well then. I’m assuming you’d rather go somewhere private?”

  
“Yes,” he said, feeling very small. What was he doing to himself before this?

  
She led him into a storage closet and smiled weakly at him. “What was it you wanted?”

  
“We can’t pretend yesterday didn’t happen. And I’ve thought about what you said. And I want it. I’m here to treat patients, I can’t let my own demons get in the way.”

  
“I’m glad,” she said, her tone sincere.

  
“And you’re still willing to help me?”

  
She pursed her lips. “Yes. You’re a good doctor, it would be a shame for that to be put to waste.” Mary paused for a second before adding, “This sort of thing isn’t good for you at all, anyway. Even if you weren’t saving lives, if anything, we want to save your own.”

  
“I’m glad to know you care.”

  
Mary was unsure how to respond. Jed realized how awkward he had made the situation and blushed red.

  
“You won’t tell another soul, will you?”

  
“Only if it’s absolutely necessary.”

  
That was the best he could hope for. He opened the door to the closet and managed a smile. “Thank you, Nurse Mary. You don’t know how much it means.”

  
“I hope I do.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Jed takes care of Mary while she is sick.

She was nearly asleep on her feet, wiping sweat off of her brow every few minutes, and he could tell she wasn’t well. Jed quickened his pace and tapped Mary’s shoulder. “Nurse Mary? You don’t look well.”

“It’s too bad there’s so much work to do,” she snapped.

“Really, are you feeling ill?” he asked, with genuine concern.

She picked up a basin full of water. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“You’re not very good at hiding it.”

Mary stumbled and Jed caught her by the arm, thankfully preventing spillage of the water. “You need to go to bed. You won’t get the men any better by infecting them.”

“Well, it would be nice if I actually had a bed to go to,” Mary said, pushing him away.

Jed only had to think for a second. “You can use mine.”

“Isn’t that highly inappropriate?”

“Not as inappropriate as you possibly causing the deaths of men when you’re nursing while ill.”

Mary sighed and handed him the basin. “You have a good argument.”

“You know where my room is. Go ahead, I’ll find someone to cover for you and I’ll be up in a few minutes,” Jed said.

Mary struggled up the stairs until she found Jed’s room, and she fell into his bed, not even bothering to remove her restrictive clothing.

When she came to her senses again, Jed was bathing her forehead, sitting over her.

“Don’t you have other patients to get to?”

He smiled and took the cloth off of her forehead. “I could say the same for you with all the help you’ve given me.”

Mary tried to sit up, but he pressed her down again by the shoulders. “It’s alright. You need to rest.”

“And you have more important cases to worry about.”

Jed shook his head. “I’m the judge of that, and I would most vehemently protest that I don’t.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: I don't pretend to know the challenges you're facing. Post episode 4

  
Mary couldn’t sleep. She was exhausted, of course, but the day kept replaying in her mind. Her fight with Jed, Aurelia’s near death, and then Jed deciding he was ready. He had given it up.

 

While she didn’t know if it would last, she prayed it would.

  
She wondered if he could sleep.

  
It wouldn’t take but a few minutes to find out.

  
Resolved, she got up from the bed in the guest bedroom that she was lucky enough to have for the night. She made her way to his bedroom and knocked on the door.

  
A sleepy voice came from inside. “Who is it?”

  
“It’s Mary… Miss Phinney.”

  
“Fine, come in.”

  
Mary pushed the door open and saw him lying on the bed, spread eagled and obviously not asleep. “You can’t sleep either?”

  
“Haven’t really been able to for the last week,” he admitted. He sat up and indicated for her to sit next to him on the bed, patting the covers. “We did well tonight.”

  
Mary sat down and pressed her lips together. “Aurelia is very lucky to be alive.”

  
“You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

  
“Samuel deserves all the credit.”

  
Jed smiled weakly. “I was impressed. I didn’t expect him to be so knowledgable or intelligent.”

  
“The knowledge and intelligence of a man are not based on his skin color,” Mary replied coldly.

  
“I see that now.”

  
“If only he could use what he knows.”

  
Jed closed his eyes. “I’m going to try my best, to get him into a school.”

  
“You’ve changed your tune from when we first met.”

  
He looked at his feet, unsure how to reply. Instead, he said, “He really loves her, doesn’t he?”

  
“I think so. They have some challenges ahead of them…”

  
“Like us,” he murmured, his eyes fixated on Mary.

  
“What do you mean, us?” Her tone was clipped.

  
Jed fumbled for words. “I just mean…uh, you’re helping me with my own challenges.”

  
“I don’t pretend to know the challenges you’re facing,” Mary replied, “and I’m thankful I don’t, but I’m happy to help. Now, have you gotten any sleep this past week?”

  
“A little… Maybe a few hours of dozing each day.”

  
Mary shook her head. “I’m not sure you’re ready to go back.”

  
“I swear I am…”

  
“I know you want to. And God knows I want you, too. I hate working with Doctor Hale. But I can’t in good conscience allow to operate on patients after a few hours of dozing.”

  
Jed nodded. “I understand.”

  
“Lie down,” Mary instructed.

  
He immediately did.

  
Mary pulled the covers over him. “I know it’s hard, but you need to sleep. Is there something that will help you sleep?”

  
“My mother…” he struggles to say the words, “would always stroke my hair when I had trouble sleeping. That would always help me. But I don’t know if…”

  
“Very well. Close your eyes. Sleep, Jedidiah.”

  
“Nobody’s called me that in ages. It’s Jed, always Jed,” he murmured.

  
“Perhaps I’ll start something again.”

  
“No. You can call me that. But not the rest of them.”

  
Mary put her hand on his head. “Now sleep.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Real or not real? Set in the week between episode 3 and episode 4.

It seemed like he was getting worse, rather than better.

The first day was alright. Maybe it was because he still had the morphine in his system. He seemed to be subdued, but nothing out of the ordinary.

The second day he was quieter than she had ever seen.

The third day, he didn’t know anything.

Mary came into his room on the third day, with a tray of food. “Dr. Foster, how are you feeling. Dr. Foster?”

He was on his bed, not moving.

“Jed!” she called out. For a moment, her heart stopped beating.

“Who are you?” He opened his eyes lazily and glanced at Mary.

“It’s Nurse Phinney, Dr. Foster. It’s me.”

He closed his eyes again. “It feels so wrong… is this real?”

“Yes, Dr. Foster.”

He pushed himself into a sitting position. “And my mother, hating me?”

“That was real.”

“The boys, all screaming that I ruined their lives?”

Mary drew in a quick breath. How much was he suffering?

“No. They’re all very grateful to be alive.”

“No more morphine. You took it all away?”

“Yes.”

He rubbed his eyes and glanced over his shoulder. “Did you throw it all out the window? You were yelling.”

“No, that isn’t real. It’s locked up. I’m not telling you where it is now.”

“How about you? You’re caring about me? Real or not real?”

Mary blinked. “Real,” she murmured softly. “Very real.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: The first real kiss. Pure fluff.

The sun was setting, and the hospital was relatively peaceful. Mary stepped out of the back door and leaned against the wall, enjoying the beauty of the field by the hospital.

She was only alone for a few minutes.

Jed was beside her.

“Am I needed?” she asked.

“No, I was just wondering why you were out here.”

Mary shook her head. “No, but I so rarely get a break that it’s nice to be out here. It’s peaceful.”

“It’s beautiful, too,” Jed said, taking a quick glance at her.

“And you’re doing well?”

“Back into it,” he said, trying to sound cheerful. “It’s hard, but I’m making do.”

Mary smiled. “I’m glad.”

A silence lingered between them.

A thought crossed her mind. “On the day I first found you, with the morphine…”

“Yes?” Jed said, sounding on edge.

“You kissed me.”

“It was wrong of me, I wasn’t in my right mind, and I’m so very sorry,” he said, staring at his feet.

Mary couldn’t look at him. Her heart caught in her throat. “No, it wasn’t right then. But might you consider it now?”

“What?” His head snapped back up.

“Do I have to repeat myself?”

He laughed, and at last they looked into each other’s eyes. “I just can’t quite believe you said that right now.”

“You’re not dreaming, Jedediah.”

“Thank goodness for that.”

He took her face in his hands and brushed away a few wispy hairs. Then, with a bit of phyiscal urging from Mary, he pressed his lips to hers.

They broke away, smiling and laughing and in disbelief at what had occured.

“Much better than last time,” Mary said, grinning.

“Does this mean…?”

“We must be subtle about these things.”

He nodded. “But…”

“But I think what you should get from this is that I love you.”

“It’s a good thing we’re in agreement then. Because I love you too.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Love doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints

Hale saw everything.

He saw how Mary and Jed had their heads bent down over a patient. Working together. They were always together.

He saw how Jed’s hand would brush against Mary’s. Gently, but enough that she would know he had done it. She would smile.

He saw her place a hand on his waist as they leaned over to talk to a patient. Together, as always.

And Hale heard something. Snatched words of whispered conversations. Addiction. Morphine. Better.

Hale put it together.

So why was Dr. Jedidiah Foster, a morphine addict, doing better in the hierarcy of the hospital than he was?

A simple conclusion. Mary Phinney.  
Hale had been interested in the woman since she came to Mansion House. A widow with no formal nursing experience, in charge of all.

He would never admit it to Anne, but he quite admired her.

And he was jealous of Jed Foster.

It was a quiet afternoon and Hale and Mary were the only ones on the ward.  
He was bent over a patient when he heard the click of her heels on the ground.  
He followed her.

“Miss Phinney,” he hissed.

She turned. She didn’t look particularly happy to see him. “Yes?”

“I was wondering if you knew about Dr. Foster… and his morphine problem…”

Mary raised an eyebrow. “I did, in fact.”

“And you still love him?”

Again, she looked taken aback. Hale was much more observant than she realized. “I will only say this: love doesn’t discriminate between the sinners and the saints.”  
She turned again and left him.

Hale found himself admiring Mary even more.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: You make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me care

“You’re leaving.” His words were flat, but his eyes were wide and brimming.

Mary stopped and took a look at him, standing on the stairs, dejected. “Not forever.”

“But for a while?”

“I have family obligations,” Mary said. There was regret in her voice.

Jed looked down at his feet. “Of course. I suppose it’s selfish of me to want to keep you here when your family needs you.”

“You want me here?”

“Of course,” Jed said, impassioned.

Mary smiled softly. “Is this just so you don’t have to deal with Hastings?”

“No, not at all! How could you think that?”

She laughed. “I don’t.”

“Mary…, when you’re around, I feel like a different person. You make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me care. And I don’t want to lose that.”

Her heart melted and she stepped forward to touch his cheek. “You won’t lose it.”

He shivered from the contact. “Why?”

“Because I’ll be back. Very soon.”

“Do you promise?”

“Do you not trust me?”

He takes her hand in his. “Of course I trust you.”

“Good. You’ll hardly notice I’m gone.”

“I notice when you aren’t in the same room.”

Mary blushed. “Goodbye.”

He had the courage to kiss her cheek. “Soon.”

“Yes, soon.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: With you I am more than I am

It was early morning, and there was angry knocking on his door.

Jed slowly lifted his head. “Who is it?”

The door opened without an answer. It was Mary.

“Is something the matter?”

Mary looked furious. “Yes, something is the matter. You’re married.”

“Eliza and I…”

“You’re married and yet you’re flirting with me. What sort of a man are you?”

Jed sat up fully. “Where did you hear this?”

“Hastings,” she said briskly.

“Of course…”

Her eyes narrowed. “But you aren’t denying it?”

“I can’t.”

“Then I can’t see any way for you to justify flirting with me if you have a wife.”

Jed shook his head. “Mary, I can explain.”

“Oh really. Was Nurse Hastings just lying? Because as slimy as I find her, she wouldn’t make up a lie on this scale.”

“No, I am married.”

Mary was silent for a minute. “Well then. I see our acquaintance is quite inappropriate.”

“It’s unlikely I’ll ever see my wife again.”

“And why?”

Jed stood up all the way. “Eliza is gone. Out west. She isn’t coming back, none of them do.”

“You let her?”

“I don’t know if I so much as let her as she had the will to go.”

Mary’s features softened. “I’m sorry.”

“I never loved her. It was practically an arranged marriage, our families and everything…”

“Is that part of the… the morphine?”

Jed sighed. “I don’t know if that was ever a big factor, but it couldn’t have helped. And…” he paused.

“And what?”

“Eliza never made me a better person. You do.”

Mary gave an indignant huff. “By compelling you to cheat on your wife?”

“You helped me. With the morphine. Eliza is strong in her own way, but never would have helped me with that.”

“And that’s all?”

“Mary… You make me more than I am. When I’m around you, I want to be better. I want to be worthy of you.”

She stepped forward and took his hand. “You don’t have as far to go as you think.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t think I’m not angry with you. Because I am.”

Jed allowed himself to smile weakly. “If I told you I was married in the first place, I never would have had a chance.”

She shrugged. “Perhaps not. Now, get dressed. We’ve a busy day ahead.”

“But you’ve forgiven me?”

Mary’s smile was all he needed. “Yes.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Jed asks Mary for a dance

He was antsy.

He kept humming to himself, moving his feet, brimming with energy he couldn’t contain.

Mary noticed. Of course Mary noticed.

“Doctor Foster, are you quite alright?” she asked, as he started up the stairs.

“Never better!” he said cheerfully.

Mary narrowed her eyes. As much as she’d like to believe him, there was something on his mind.

She followed him up the stairs. “Really, Doctor Foster. Is something bothering you?”

Jed turned on his heel. “Yes, something is bothering me. Something I never got to do.”

“That is…”

“I wanted to dance with you. At the ball. But of course I couldn’t.”

Mary couldn’t keep herself from smiling. “If I’m honest, I was disappointed too.”

Jed opened the door to his room. “Well, Miss Phinney, may I have this dance.”

“We’ve no music,” Mary pointed out.  
“We can hum. I know you have quite a lovely voice.”

“How do you know this?”

Jed grinned. “I’ve heard you sing under your breath. Now may I have this dance?”

“Gladly.”


End file.
